Hello readers of Mahtot! Today I come
with homily of John Chrysostom on the Nativity of Christ. I have presented it
in two parts as follows.
Merry
Christmas!
Dn. Alemayehu Habte
December 28, 2015
Part One
I behold a new and wondrous mystery!
My ears resound to the Shepherd's song, piping no soft melody, but chanting
full forth a heavenly hymn.
The Angels sing!
The Archangels blend their voices in harmony!
The Cherubim hymn their joyful praise!
The Seraphim exalt His glory!
All join to praise this holy feast,
beholding the Godhead here on earth, and man in heaven. He who is above, now
for our redemption dwells here below; and he that was lowly is by divine mercy
raised.
Bethlehem
this day resembles heaven; hearing from the stars the singing of angelic
voices; and in place of the sun, enfolds within itself on every side the Sun of
Justice.
And ask not how: for where God wills, the order of nature yields. For
He willed, he had the power, He descended, He redeemed; all things move in
obedience to God. This day He Who Is, is Born; and He Who Is becomes what He
was not. For when He was God, He became man; yet not departing from the Godhead
that is His. Nor yet by any loss of divinity became He man, nor through
increase became He God from man; but being the Word He became flesh, His
nature, because of impassibility, remaining unchanged.
And
so the kings have come, and they have seen the heavenly King that has come upon
the earth, not bringing with Him Angels, nor Archangels, nor Thrones, nor
Dominations, nor Powers, nor Principalities, but, treading a new and solitary
path, He has come forth from a spotless womb. Yet He has not forsaken His
angels, nor left them deprived of His care, nor because of His Incarnation has
he departed from the Godhead.
And behold,
Kings have come, that they might adore the heavenly King of glory;
Soldiers, that they might serve the Leader of the Hosts of Heaven;
Women, that they might adore Him Who was born of a woman so that He might
change the pains of child-birth into joy;
Virgins, to the Son of the Virgin, beholding with joy, that He Who is the Giver
of milk, Who has decreed that the fountains of the breast pour forth in ready
streams, receives from a Virgin Mother the food of infancy;
Infants, that they may adore Him Who became a little child, so that out of the
mouth of infants and sucklings, He might perfect praise;
Children, to the Child Who raised up martyrs through the rage of Herod;
Men, to Him Who became man, that He might heal the miseries of His servants;
Shepherds, to the Good Shepherd Who has laid down His life for His sheep;
Priests, to Him Who has become a High Priest according to the order of
Melchisedech;
Servants, to Him Who took upon Himself the form of a servant that He might
bless our servitude with the reward of freedom;
Fishermen, to Him Who from amongst fishermen chose catchers of men;
Publicans, to Him Who from amongst them named a chosen Evangelist;
Sinful women, to Him Who exposed His feet to the tears of the repentant;
And that I may embrace them all together, all sinners have come, that they may
look upon the Lamb of God Who taketh away the sins of the world.
[The Magi to worship Him.
The Shepherds to glorify Him.
The tax collectors to preach Him.
The harlots to offer myrrh to Him.
The Samaritan Woman to quench His thirst.
The Canaanite Woman to be benefited by Him.]
Since
therefore all rejoice, I too desire to rejoice. I too wish to share the choral
dance, to celebrate the festival. But I take my part, not plucking the harp,
not shaking the Thyrsian staff, not with the music of pipes, nor holding a
torch, but holding in my arms the cradle of Christ. For this is all my hope,
this my life, this my salvation, this my pipe, my harp. And bearing it I come,
and having from its power received the gift of speech, I too, with the angels,
sing: Glory to God in the Highest; and with the shepherds: and on earth peace
to men of good will.
And
do you know why? Because He Who was begotten before the ages inexplicably by
the Father, is born today from a virgin supernaturally. How this occurred is
known by the grace of the Holy Spirit. We only can say this: that as His
heavenly birth is true, thus also His earthly birth is irrefutable. It is
true that God was begotten from God, it is true that He was born a man from a
virgin. In heaven, He alone was born from the Father, His only-begotten Son.
And on earth, He alone was born from the Virgin, her only Son. As with His
heavenly birth, it is impious to think of a mother, thus in His earthly birth,
it is blasphemy to propose a father.
God
gave birth to Him in a divine manner; the Virgin have birth to Him in a
supernatural manner. Thus neither His heavenly birth can be fully
explained, nor can His incarnation be studied. I know that the Virgin today
gave birth to Him. I believe that He was begotten of God the Father before the
ages. And I have learned to silently honor His birth, without curious
investigations and unnecessary discussions. Because, whatever relates to God
cannot be held to the natural course of events, but it is belief in His power
that orders all things.
What
is more natural than for a married woman to give birth? However, what is more
paradoxical than for a virgin to give birth to a child, without a man, and to
remain a virgin? What can we study, therefore? That which occurs according to
the natural laws. However, whatever occurs supernaturally, we must honor
silently. Not because it is dangerous, but because it is inscrutable.
I ponder in fear before the divine mystery. What can I say, and what shall I
speak? I see her who gave birth. I see Him Who was born. But the manner of
birth, I cannot understand. Do you see how, where God wills, the laws of nature
are overcome? The same occurred here: the natural order is put aside, and
the divine will works.
How inexplicable is the compassion of God! The Son of God before the ages, the
incorruptible and invisible and bodiless, came to inhabit our corruptible and
visible body. For what reason? That, as you know, we men might believe beyond
that which we see, beyond that which we hear. We [sinners] believe in the visible,
but not the invisible. Thus we do not believe in the true God, but we worship
visible idols in the form of men. Therefore, God appeared before us in the
visible form of man, to dissolve in this manner every doubt as to His existence.
And later, having taught the certainty of His presence through the senses, in
order to easily lead us to the true faith, to the invisible and supernatural.
The wonder fills me with
astonishment!
I see God before the ages as a
child!
He rests in the manger, He Whose
throne is heaven!
Human hands hold Him Who is unapproachable and bodiless!
He is wrapped in swaddling clothes; He Who breaks apart the bonds of sin!
However, this is His will: to transform dishonor into honor, to array
worthlessness in glory, to recreate assault into virtue. He took my body, He
offers me His Spirit. He grants me the treasure of eternal life, taking but
also giving me. He takes my flesh to sanctify me, He give me His Spirit to save
me.
“Behold, a virgin shall conceive.”
(Isaiah 7:14).
The words are from the synagogue,
but has been acquired by the Church.
The synagogue buried the thread; the Church wears the royal robe.
Judea gave birth to Him; the world received Him.
continued...
